The Wing's of Adumbration
by halowenjo
Summary: When Quinn's life falls apart, who will be there to pick up the pieces? War is on the horizon and the tides of darkness seem to be drawing closer. The closing of the Institute of War signals a new beginning, for better or for worse.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's the Quinn x Talon story, leave review for any suggestions you might have. F/F if you liked it :)**

* * *

The sounds of the forest filled Quinn's ears as she walked along the outskirts of the Institute of War, its towering, magically infused walls stood against the elements.

"Valor!"Quinn shouted, raising her arm as the Demacian Eagle squawked, descending out of the air and landing on its usual perch. She ruffled the feathers on his front as he nuzzled his head into her hand affectionately.

"What'd you see up there?" she asked as the eagle jumped up on her shoulders, squawking into her ear.

"Hmmm, Really?" she replied, scratching the top of his head. Quinn started up her walk around the walls again, this time venturing further into the forest. The walls of the institute slowly faded into the background as Quinn ran through the forest, laughing as Valor flew above.

Quinn looked up as Valor squawked, increasing his speed as he saw something up ahead, a purple blur in a clearing.

"Valor?" she yelled, looking to where Valor was heading. She remembered the clearing, having used it as a training ground a while ago.

* * *

Talon breathed heavily, his energy exerted in the exercise. Several incisions had cut through the dummy, at vital blood points around the body. Blades stuck out of the chest and head.

"Fuck" he swore, seeing a few blades in the trees behind the dummy.

The lacerations on the fighting dummy started to remake, the straw growing back into its full form. Talon leapt back into action, sending several blades that suspended in the air as he turned invisible. He quickly jumped at the dummy, sending his arm-blade straight through the dummies head and landing behind it. He turned around quickly, sending a rake of blades that shredded through the thick straw neck and returned through the chest. The blades that had suspended in the air came flying back to him, tearing the head off the dummy as they returned to his cape. A loud squawking sound caught Talon's attention as an eagle landed on the dummy, pecking at the frayed straw. He recognized as Valor, Quinn's blasted eagle.

"What do you want" he asked as the eagle turned to look at him. It flapped it wings heavily, ruffling its feathers. Talon approached the bird, reaching his hand out to stroke its head as he chuckled.

"It's a wonder you're not attacking me you dumb animal" he snorted, Valor turned his head, biting down hard on one of Talon's knuckles in response to his comment. Talon took his hand away, blood began to drip from the pierce.

* * *

"Val- oh." Quinn shouted as she burst into the clearing, her face bright red from the running.

Quinn saw Talon clutching his hand, blood pouring from the bite.

"Valor!" she squealed, gesturing at Talon's hand. The bird squawked, pushing his head affectionately into Talon's chest. Talon gave a short laugh, petting the large bird again.

Quinn slowly walked over, curious about Valor's actions. She stood by the dummy, apprehensive at approaching her so-called nemesis. Valor flapped his wings, jumping up on Talon's shoulder.

"I am so sorry!" she said. She could feel something behind her as she twisted her head to see Talon extending his arm, Valor climbing across to her shoulder.

"Thanks" she mumbled, as her cheeks flushed.

"Make no mistake Quinn, we are still rivals" he said in his usual cold emotionally detached voice as he rose the arm-blade to her neck. She froze as the blade hovered just below her chin. When she looked over her shoulder she saw Talon had disappeared. She let out the breath she had held, reach her hand up to stroke Valor's puffed out chest.

"I don't know Val" she huffed, Valor moved closer to her head, pecking at her hair and rubbing his head against her cheek to comfort her.

* * *

Talon walked back through the forest, wiping the blood of his finger on a tissue.

"Silly girl" he muttered, remembering back to the flustered scout. She was a Demacian, and he was a Noxian. He could tell that she had hidden feelings for him. Talon was not one for romance, he was more of a one night stand kind of guy. He and Cassiopeia had tried dating for a short while, but it ended violently when she tried to turn him to stone after she found him in Katarina's bed. He had quite the relationship with the Du Couteau sister's, a special place in his heart had been reserved for Cassiopeia ever since she was cursed and lacked the social contact she so craved. Katarina was a different character, the vivacious redhead had more often than not caused him grief beyond comprehension. Sometimes he considered leaving the sisters, his contract was only to the General, who hadn't been seen for some time. Talon decided to stick it out however, he owed it to the General, taking care of his daughters was something he had been taught to do since he joined the household and he would continue to do so.

As he approached the Institutes walls, he broke into a sprint, jumping into the air he hit the wall, running vertically up it. As he reached the top he threw a blade, it stuck in the underside of the parapet. Pushing himself off the wall, Talon grabbed the blade, using his momentum to dislodge it from the stone and fly upwards in an arc. He turned mid-air, stabbing the stone at the top and pulling himself up over the ledge. Dusting himself off, he reached down and picked up the blade, twirling it in his fingers before placing it back in his belt. It was starting to get dark as he descended the steps. Upon reaching the bottom he made his way towards the Noxian quarters, disappearing into the shadows as they cast on him.

* * *

"Quinn!"

Quinn turned around, Valor slapping his wings at the sudden movement.

"Yes Lady Luxanna?" she asked, bowing politely.

"What were you doing outside the walls?" Lux asked, lifting Quinn's chin up to look at the imprint Talon's blade had left.

"Just taking a walk my lady"

"Did you happen to walk into a sharp branch?" Lux asked, smirking at Quinn's sudden embarrassment.

"Never mind" said Lux, dropping Quinn's chin and scratching the underside of Valor's neck.

"Have those reports of your last mission on my desk by sundown tomorrow, am I clear?"

"Yes Lady Luxanna" replied Quinn curtly, saluting.

"Oh stop it" Lux giggled, walking off down the hall.

Quinn, slumped forward, sighing heavily.

"That was a close one Val"

"Squawk!"

* * *

"Do you always insist on sneaking up on people?" Katarina asked, flipping her red locks back as Talon emerged from the shadows.

"Only you" he said, grasping her hips and pulling her towards him.

"I was in the middle of something" she moaned, applying the lipstick as Talon moved her hair out-of-the-way, kissing her neck.

"Not now" she whimpered as he sunk his teeth into her pale skin.

As he moved his hands up her body she spun around, kicking him up against the wall and pinning his cloak to the boards with a knife.

"I'm busy" she muttered, kissing him deeply before running out the door.

"Always busy" Talon muttered, pulling the knife out of his cloak and throwing it across the room. It landed next to Cassiopeia's head with a thud as it stuck into the wood.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**You might be able to already tell, but basically the Talon x Quinn story is more centered on them creating a relationship with each other.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:**

_My god it's been a while since I last uploaded anything, a good 3 to 4 months. I'm not even sure if anyone still reads this, I've gotten a few follows/favorites the past few weeks and even a review, enough to make me look back into it. I haven't stopped writing, ArcheAge has sucked me into it's claws, it's the first time in a while since I've enjoyed an MMO so much, the sandbox nature of it, and the fact that I actually achieved the level cap (never done that in an MMO before) was actually really fun._

_Besides that, I've actually teamed up with a few people on the /r/anime subreddit and we're collaborating on writing a manga! I'm not sure if you'd use the word 'writing', but I'm mostly doing the script work, I'll probably end up writing it up as a light novel and then turning it into a suitable manga script. We're only in the planning phase right now, deciding on what path we'd like to take etc. We are all submitting our own suggestions for a storyline, myself included. I'll be using this story as a sort of back plan. My idea was based around 2 warring factions and the relationship between the Assassin of one and the Scout of another, pretty much how this story is, just with no institute of war/summoner/magic, different names and places._

_Aside from all that, I managed to scrap together a second chapter for the Quinn x Talon, it's now 2 in the morning and I'm hell'a tired. I might re-upload a better version in the morning but for now I feel like putting this out there. I will try my best to get back into writing LoL fanfiction again, I am in my last year of school (finally) so we'll see how I go for time constraints._

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

The full moon shone brightly over the institute, illuminating the old cobble roads and creaking structures. A faint light stretched across the cross yard from the near empty cafeteria. Most of the champions had opted to sleep, only those nocturnal or hungry still conscious.

A humble silence dawned upon the dimly lit room, broken only by the quiet chatter that bounced around the room lightly. A couple sat in one of the four corners, hair like molten silver as they conversed quietly. The woman was no other than Diana, one of the many champions present at the institute. She sat side by side with one of the summoner's, a man only known as Seth. Talon sat, not too far away from them, listening loosely to the banter. He picked messily at his food, stacking the chicken bones on top of each other. Across the room sat another lonesome figure, Quinn.

Demacia's lead scout sat alone at her table, she had a small knife out, carving a design into the old wooden table. She had noticed Talon sit down at his table a while back, glancing up in his direction she could see that he was still there. Talon briefly looked up back at her amusedly, almost winking. Quinn quickly lowered her gaze, returning instead to the blunt knife in front of her. Talon abruptly stood up from the table, carrying the dish of food and disposing of it. When he exited the room Quinn quietly stood up, not taking the time to put her own plate away but instead she followed Talon out, peering through the dark at the figure making his way to the institute's boundaries.

_Silly girl_ Talon thought to himself, walking briskly up to the parapets on the institutes surrounding wall, his bladed cape billowing behind him, the metallic clang ringing in his ears provided a sense of calm, broken only by the ensuing scout. Footsteps echoed into the night as Talon passed by a patrolling guard, smirking when he noticed him visibly tensing. Finally reaching the steps to the wall he ascended them slowly, taking in his surroundings.

_Where is he going?_ Quinn thought, slinking into the shadows as Talon glanced over his shoulder.

"If you're going to hide from me, picking the _shadows_ isn't a very good idea." Talon's crisp voice shot out from the top of the wall.

Quinn's faced burned red, realising her mistake, he was the _blade's shadow_ after all. She hesitantly approached the staircase, wondering whether to go up or not. A familiar squawk from above drew her attention as she peeked up to see a flurry of purple wings.

"Valor?" she whispered, receiving a flap of wings in return.

Talon could hear the light footsteps of the approaching scout, the sharp talons of Valor dug into his shoulder uncomfortably, his cloak not made to host an eagle. Talon felt the weight lift of his frame as the bird glided over and landed on Quinn.

"Was there a reason for following me?" Talon asked coldly, staring out past the expansive forest outside the institute.

"I… Well." Quinn sputtered, looking down at the ground.

"Demacia wouldn't want me talking to you." She whispered, shuffling her feet.

"Your allegiances mean nothing to me" came the reply. Quinn couldn't help but smirk, she had heard him say that before many a time on the rift, the list of "quotes" champions were required to say were somewhat melodramatic.

"What it is like to be an assassin?" Quinn blurted out, covering her mouth in her hands as her eyes widened.

"Do you ever…" Quinn started, trying to the find the words.

"Get lonely?" Talon said, finishing her sentence.

"Well… Yes?" Quinn mumbled, fumbling with her cloak.

"I pursue this profession to be alone" Talon barked, laughing coarsely.

"Ah…" Quinn dropped her head, looking down at the ground uncomfortably.

"You have Valor…" came the almost distant whisper as Talon gazed back at the duo.

Quinn's head whipped up, staring at the space in front of her, devoid of the assassin she had conversed with.

"Where did…"

* * *

_THUMP_

_THUMP_

_THUMP_

"Hello?" Quinn mumbled, falling out of the bed and struggling to her feet.

"Open up!" came the bubbly voice, distinguishable as Lux's.

Quinn lumbered slowly over to the door, unlocking the padlocks and swinging the wood wide open. Lux entered briskly, twirling around in a circle as Quinn stood to attention.

"At ease"

Quinn's hand dropped down fast, wiping away the tiredness from her eyes.

"There is going to be a ball in Piltover" Lux announced, opening the blinds, much to Quinn's dismay. Valor squawked from his perch, the sudden light disturbing his rest.

"And you want me to watch over?" Quinn asked, scavenging around the floor for her crossbow.

"I want you to _attend_"

Quinn spun around, confusion evident as she mouthed _what?_

"Yes, you are to attend the ball, with my brother" Lux giggled, taunting the young scout.

"W-with Garen?" Quinn sputtered, placing her hand on the drawer to stop herself from falling.

"Yes, with Garen"

Lux started towards the door, tapping her fingers on the smooth wood.

"And you're wearing a dress" she said as he closed the door, smirking at the groan that came from the other side.

"Squawk!"

"I know! Me. In a dress!" Quinn roared, pacing the room.

* * *

"I want you to attend the ball, disguised"

Talon spun around, his cape fluttering dramatically in the wind.

"What" he asked, staring directly at the smug redhead.

"You heard me" she replied nonchalantly.

"I don't do social events" Talon replied, inspecting the device on his arm.

"You don't have to socialize, just observe"

Talon's eyes narrowed, looking across the room at the mirror and imaging himself in a suit.

"Do I have to wear a suit" he muttered, pulling the purple hood back and shaking his hair.

"You have to blend in, so yes" Kat replied, walking over to the wall and taking off a few knives before placing them on her leg strap.

"Why aren't you doing this?" Talon asked, sitting down on the bed.

"They would spot me in a heartbeat"

Talon had to agree with her, her flaming red locks were a dead giveaway.

"You'll also be taking a date" Katarina added, heading towards the exit. Talon looked over to her, his face giving away no emotions.

"Janna"

Talon slyly smirked, _maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all._

* * *

"Squawk!"

"I know Val" Quinn replied, picking at the dress strap impatiently. The elegant purple gown hugging tightly to her toned body. A few people passing by stared at her, only to be scared off by Valor.

"Quinn?"

Quinn twirled around, looking up to see Garen dressed in a tuxedo, his face burning red.

"I've never imagined you in a dress before" he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Neither have I" she mumbled, flinching slightly as Garen's gaze travelled down her body.

"Shall we go?" he asked, extending his hand. The duo made their way towards the teleportation orb, standing inside side by side.

* * *

"You look nice" came a gruff voice behind the floating women. She came to a halt in front of him, blowing a gush of wind to push him out of the shadows.

"You never called me back Talon" Janna huffed, studying her fingernails.

"I've heard that before" he said, smirking.

CRACK!

* * *

_Welcome to Piltover by the sea_

"I hate this city" Talon mumbled, rubbing the red hand mark on his cheek.

"Oh cheer up grumpy" Janna said, looping her arm through his. Janna and Talon walked arm in arm to the large building in front of them, the afternoon sun glinting off the structure. They were greeted by a concierge who took their invitations. Talon's eye twitched as they entered the ball at the sheer amount of people present, many stood around chatting. A certain purple clad women caught his eye as Quinn was latched onto the lumbering behemoth beside her.

"See something interesting?" Janna taunted, poking Talon in the side and looking over at Quinn.

"Janna?" came a voice behind them, as Talon turned around he could see the wide green grin shining back at him.

"Zac!" Janna exclaimed, hugging the jelly-like man.

"It's good to see you again" she added.

"Ditto, who's the guy?" he responded cooly, waving his giant appendage towards Talon.

"Oh that's nobody" she said, switching from Talon's arm to Zac's and dragging him across the hall.

_Ouch_.

* * *

"Quinn!" Caitlyn exclaimed, making her way towards the flustered scout, she smiled warmly at her, enveloping the woman in her arms and hugging her.

"It's good to see you" Caitlyn whispered in her ear. Quinn gave a small smile, squeezing the sheriff in her grip.

Caitlyn glanced past Quinn at the large man behind her, Garen Crownguard.

"Garen." She nodded curtly.

The giant of a man gave a grunt, looking around the room in disinterest.

"Garen, why don't you go greet some of the guests, I'll take care of Quinn" Caitlyn suggested, resting her hand on the scout's shoulder.

"Sure" came the short reply as he lumbered off in the direction of the supplements.

"Thank you" Quinn whispered to Caitlyn.

"Nonsense" Caitlyn whispered back, dragging Quinn across the room.

The soft sounds of music filled the room as the band started to play, a soft tone wafted from the blue haired maiden's Etwahl.

"Come on Quinn, let's go dance!" Caitlyn whispered in her ear, grasping the scouts hand and pulling her into the centre of the room.

"I can't dance" Quinn protested, losing traction in her formal shoes.

"I'll teach you" Caitlyn replied, smirking mischievously.

* * *

Talon watched on as the crowd gravitated to the centre of the room, couples twirled in harmony with the song, soon it was only the assassin and Garen standing on the sides, the latter was busy stuffing his mouth with food, glancing up occasionally before burying his face into the assorted treats again. Talon noticed his supposed date dancing gracefully with the gelatine-like man, paying no attention to the lonesome man. Talon found his balance interrupted as something collided with his back, pushing him into the crowd, looking back he could see the dumb grin plastered across Piltover's enforcer.

The crowd quickly enveloped with the assassin, various women were passed to him, forcing him to dance. It wasn't long before he was clasping the waist of the sheriff, her brunette hair spilling down her gown. She was quite suspicious of Talon, luckily for him she was passed off before she could come to a decent conclusion. The next person in line surprised him as Quinn stood before him, her face burning red as he spun her around, she looked completely out of place. Talon had at least been taught basic dancing and formal etiquette by the Du Couteau sisters, Quinn however, seemed to be lacking in both as she stumbled, relying entirely on Talon to lead her. The music came to a halt, replaced by cheering and laughter as Talon bent over, taking the scouts hand in his and laying a kiss on her knuckles. Quinn's face turned an even brighter red as she slowly withdrew her hand, rushing over to the balcony door for some fresh air.

"Smooth" came a voice behind him as Janna floated over to him, looking at the balcony.

"Go see if she's alright" Janna whispered, gently pushing Talon forward.

"What?"

Janna merely waved her hand, shooing Talon in the direction of the scout.

The glass doors leading out onto the balcony shook slightly as the breeze came in, Talon's suit fluttered briefly before it died down.

Talon peered outside, seeing the young woman stroking Valor's chest.

"Sorry if I surprised you" Talon said smoothly, carefully hiding his real voice.

Quinn spun around, her cheeks still showing a tinge of red.

"N-no, it's ok" she squeaked.

"I'm just not use to wearing dresses"

"Neither am I" Talon replied.

"With suits I mean" he added, coughing awkwardly.

Quinn let out a little giggle, slapping her hand over her mouth.

Talon strode over to the edge, placing his hands on the smooth stone barrier and took in a breath of the salty air. The wide open sea expanded out in front of him, mirrored by the clear blue skies. It had been a while since Talon had visited the ocean, it was a welcome sight compared to the slums of Noxus he had crawled since a young age.

"Do you like the ocean?" Quinn asked, resting against the stone beside him, turning her head to look out across the water.

"It's been a while" Talon whispered.

"I'd like to go in, I just…"

Talon inched closer, struggling to hear what the scout was saying.

"I can't swim" Quinn whispered quietly, stunning the encroaching assassin.

"You can't swim?" he asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"I never took the time to learn"

Talon struggled to hold back his laugh, his duty as an assassin often required him to swim through the murkiest of waters. Swimming was not an issue, in fact, he welcomed the occasional dip as the rough waters of the sea helped to sooth his overworked muscles.

"We should probably get back inside" Talon murmured.

"You go ahead, I'll be in shortly."

Talon took his leave, covering the short distance back to the glass doors in the split second.

"Wait" Quinn called out behind him, casting her eyes downwards.

"I never caught your name" she sputtered, looking up at him sheepishly.

"Marcus" he answered slowly, walking briskly back inside.

* * *

The afternoon sun has begun to set along the horizon, giving the water a shimmering effect. Quinn was no longer alone on the balcony, a majority of the guests were gathered around, gazing out across the waters at the setting sun.

The air above the crowd seemed alive, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement and chatter. Quinn stood alone at the edge, avoiding the push and shove of the people as they gravitated around the balcony. She glanced up at the eagle perched above the entry way as he pruned himself. A scream rang out, glass shattered and the buzzing died out.

"A giant bird!" a women screamed, drawing Quinn's attention.

* * *

_Oh no._

Valor madly flapped his wings, standing proudly on top of the door, causing the surging crowd to back further out onto the balcony. Quinn felt her back pressed against the railing as the man in front of her kept shuffling backwards.

"Valor, get out of here!" Quinn tried to scream, muffled by the bodies in her close proximity.

The Demacian Eagle scanned the crowd, seemingly sensing his owner's distress. With a flap of his wings he took flight, soaring out in to the air. Valor's display of flight was the final straw as Quinn was forced to the brink.

"Please, stop pushing!" Quinn urged, shoving a man forward. Quinn extended too far, tripping over her dress, one of the heels on her shoes snapping. She spun around awkwardly, colliding with the railing before tumbling over, plummeting towards the water beneath.

Talon heard the first scream, he slowly made his way to the balcony entrance, glancing up at the eagle above him. He gave a smirk, looking through the crowd to find Quinn. _Why am I looking for her_? The Eagle suddenly took flight, soaring out towards the edge. The people in front of him surged back even further. Another scream silenced the babbling crowd as people rushed to the edge. Talon shoved his way through, pushing people out of the way until he reached the railing.

A small red dot was soaring towards the water, a dress fluttering in the wind. Talon wondered who it was, probably a wealthy noble. _Serves them right_. Talon looked down, a broken red heel remained on the balcony. He remembered back to Quinn's outfit. _She was wearing red heels?_

"She'll be fine" came a gruff voice beside him, glancing to the side revealed it was Garen.

"What?" Talon asked, masking his voice.

"It's just Quinn, she's a tough gal." came Garen's confident reply.

_She'll be fine…_

"I'd like to go in, I just…" rang through Talon's head.

* * *

_**I can't swim.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** There isn't really a valid excuse for my lack of updating, I've been focusing on my own writing aside from Fanfiction as I'd like to pursue Professional Writing in University. I'll try and release a chapter as often as possible.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"What?" asked Garen, peering over the side at the white bubbles frothing on the surface of the water.

"She can't swim" Talon repeated, undoing his tie. Garen's face paled, his grip tightening on the balcony rail.

"Caitlyn!" he called out.

"We need to get to the beach" he shouted to her, her head nodding in comprehension, she bit her lip tightly, picking up the rifle that rested against the wall.

"There's no time" Talon whispered, watching as the rough sea waves watched over the bubbles, the waves lapped up against the sharp cliff face, spraying salt water into the air.

Talon threw his tie to the ground, quickly kicking off his shoes before jumping up onto the balcony fencing. The crowd gasped as he leapt forward, swinging his feet forward until he was vertically dropping. He stuck his hands out in front of him, propelling him towards the water's surface.

* * *

Quinn's dress fluttered in the wind as she plummeted towards the water, her screams cut short by the torrent of water that wracked her body. Her frail frame flailed in the waves as she sunk deeper into the dark abyss. The salty water invaded her nostrils, filling her lungs. She could feel herself slipping out of consciousness as she became entrapped in her watery grave.

It's so cold...

The last bubbles of air escaped Quinn's mouth as she sunk lower and lower. She caught a glimpse of white before her mind went blank.

* * *

Talon connected with the surface of the water quickly, his body enveloped in the cold waters. He sprung to the surface, gasping for breath. Where was it? He dove back down, hovering slightly underneath the surface. He noticed something flash from the bottom of the ocean floor, drawing his attention. He swum down deeper until he reached the bottom of the ocean floor. The object flashed again, revealing pale white skin. Quinn.

Talon quickly grasped her, pushing off the sand and swimming upwards as fast as he could. He burst forth through the waves, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"Quinn can you hear me?" Talon yelled over the roaring sea. The scout remained silent, her limbs held tightly to Talon by his hands.

With the beach in view Talon picked up the pace, making sure to keep Quinn's head out of the water.

When the duo shot up onto the beach, citizens of Piltover looked over interest. Talon paid them no heed, placing Quinn lightly onto the sand. Her dress was ruined, wet and sandy as Talon tore it open. Cries of horror spat out from the onlookers, placing his head on her chest he could feel a faint beat. Her breathing stopped and Talon placed his mouth over hers, blowing air into her gaping airways. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest, a sign that the air wasn't escaping.

* * *

Quinn's eye burst open, she rolled onto her side, the water clogging up her lungs spilt out onto the sand. She could make out the shape of a shadow above her, the sun blotting out her vision.

A squawk from above caught her attention as Valor descended hazardously, diving towards her.

"Valor?" she croaked, her voice swept up into the wind.

Talon dove to the right, a large sword thudded into the sand beside him, his eyes travelled up the blade and to the giant wielding it.

"Get away from her" Garen spat, shifting his weight around to strike again.

"What is a noxian scum doing here" he shouted, swinging the sword around towards Talon's head. The sword rang clear as it passed over, cutting a few hairs clean off the assassins head.

"I'm not here to kill her" Talon muttered, blocking the giant fist that sped at his face.

"I don't care why you're here"

Talon crouched down low, kicking Garen in the back of the knee. The behemoth fell to his knee, clutching the hilt of his sword.

"Then you won't mind if I leave?" Talon remarked, looking down at the angered giant.

"I'd rather you die" Garen spat back, launching himself from the sand and catching Talon off-guard. His shoulder slammed into Talon's stomach, winding him slightly.

"I thought you fought fair" Talon groaned, kneeing Garen in the chest and distancing himself.

"Coming from you" Garen wheezed, rolling his shoulders back. A whistling sound caught Talon's attention as a net flew through the air, trapping Talon's arms to his chest.

"Stop right there Talon, I don't want anyone to get hurt" Caitlyn yelled from behind Garen, the sniper kneeling down in the sand, her weapon aimed. Garen gave no such care, swinging his meaty fist into Talon's face, knocking the assassin out.

"Did you really have to do that?" Caitlyn asked, strapping the gun to her side

"Probably not" he spat, looking over at Quinn.

Quinn could make out the duo conversing through blotted vision, her eyes were drawn to the male lying in the sand, unable to make out his features her eyes closed again.

* * *

"I already told you I wasn't trying to kill her" Talon muttered, lying down on the hard metal bench, locked inside one of Piltover's cells. The stale musty air filled Talon's lungs as he breathed in heavily, sitting up on the bed as the door to the room outside swung open.

"It's ok Caitlyn" Vi called out as she entered the room, placing a key into the locked cell door.

"What are you doing?" Caitlyn asked, standing up from her seated position at the desk.

"I already explained to the Big Boy what happened, he's agreed to let him go" she muttered nonchalantly, pulling open the metal door and throwing Talon his belongings.

"It wasn't nice forcing me to dance" Talon chided, standing up from the bench and pulling the rough shirt off of his chest. Vi whistled loudly, winking at the undressing assassin. Caitlyn looked away hurriedly, her cheeks heating up. Talon slid his shirt on, doing the tie up loosely.

"Neither was crashing the party" Vi laughed, clapping him on the back.

Vi walked over to Cait's desk, taking ahold of the half eaten doughnut and popping it in her mouth behind Caitlyn's back.

"Did you need a ride back Tal-" she started, dropping the sentence mid-way as the room was devoid of the assassin.

"How does he do that?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing at the grinning officer.

"Where did my doughnut go" Caitlyn asked, her hand resting on her hip.

"I danwt kwow mwhut yoor twalking aboot" Vi muffled through her full mouth.

* * *

Talon could feel the presence of another as he crossed the road, blending into the thick crowd of people.

"Talon" he heard her call out, the delicate tone indicating it was a she. He already knew who it was, the only girl to confront his bad mood.

"Yes Kat?" he replied, waiting as the crowd dispersed around him.

"Not only did you fail to keep yourself hidden but you also got arrested?" she whispered intensely, looping her arm through Talon's.

"I fucked up, I know" Talon muttered, peering around to see if anyone was following them.

"You know the institute is closing soon Talon, you won't be able to get out that easily again"

Katarina and Talon continued down the street, making their way to the train station Katarina took two tickets out from between her breasts, much to the amusement of Talon and boarded the train on its way to the Institute of War.

"Is she ok?" Katarina asked, taking a seat on leather seat.

"I don't know" Talon muttered, taking his seat across from her, she smiled at him sweetly as he rolled his eyes.

"You should go see her you know"

"You do realize she is Demacian?" Talon chided, pulling the purple cloak down to reveal his face.

"And?" Kat asked, laying back against the cool leather.

Talon opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, folding his arms pointedly. Katarina clicked her tongue and gave a wink to Talon. He sighed heavily, resting his head in his hands. The train jolted forward, signalling the start of the journey. This is going to be a long train ride.

* * *

Quinn slowly opened her eyes, looking at the bright white ceiling boring down on her.

"Hello?" she called out meekly, peering around the empty room. A vase of flowers sat on the bedside table, the sweet fragrance invading her senses. She could hear the faint sound of voices conversing outside her room, pulling back the covers she shivered slightly under the cold air. Winter was coming to Valoran and the weather was dropping rapidly. The door opened wide with a click. Quinn recognized the woman as Akali, one of the nurses that volunteered at the institute.

"Hello Quinn" she said, smiling sweetly. Quinn returned the greeting, nodding her head slightly.

"Are you feeling better?" Akali asked, sitting down on the bed and pressing her hand against Quinn's forehead.

"Physically, yes." she replied, her eyes drawn to her hands.

"Those kinds of experiences can be traumatizing." Akali reassured her, standing up from the bed and retrieving a clipboard from the nearby bench.

"As far as your condition goes, you should be free to leave in a few days, if you aren't up to it. We can move you to a better suited area." Akali declared, looking up from the paper in her hand.

"I should be fine, thank you for everything Akali" Quinn blurted out, sitting up on the bed.

"I'm not the one you should be thanking" Akali announced before leaving the room, the door closing softly.

Talon's face flashed through her vision, his rough features hidden by the soft fabric of his cloak. Why did he save me? She thought, remembering her time on the beach.

* * *

"Why did you sssssave her?" Cassiopeia asked, looking away from the mirror in disgust.

"I don't know" Talon responded, fixing the metal device back into its place on his arm, the blade sprung from it's place.

"You don't know? Or don't want to tell?" she chided. Talon merely looked up, his eyes boring into hers, she flinched, looking down at the ground to avoid his gaze. Talon retracted the arm blade, detaching the device and placing it down on the table.

"I won't poke into your relationshipssss, but" she muttered.

"The institute will be closed by snowdown, you will have to make sure you see her before then" she added on, making her way towards the exit.

* * *

Talon wrapped the cloak tighter around him to ward off the cold air that snipped at any area of exposed skin. Snowdown had come in full force, the mountainous winds blew through the desolate institute, picking up sleet and snow along the way. Talon made his way to the institute's medical facilities, one of the only buildings still running. Pushing open the doors he felt the warmth from the indoors heaters flow past him.

"Is Quinn still in?" he asked one of the summoner's who sat at the desk, she peered up from behind the small display.

"Room 132" she replied, waving Talon off in the direction he needed to go.

Leaving without a goodbye, Talon slipped on down the dimly lit hallway.

"Talon" he heard someone call, a slender nurse stood leaning against the wall.

"Akali" he greeted, folding his arms and peering at her under his hood.

"So you are going to visit her?" she asked, a rhetorical question, but Talon answered nonetheless.

"Yes"

"Do be careful with her, she's still a little shaky" she stated, pushing herself off of the wall.

Talon nodded, reaching for the door handle, he grasped the cold metal firmly, pushing open the glass door.

"Quinn?" he inquired, peeking into the room. Quinn lay on her side, the slow breathing and closed eyes indicated she was asleep. Talon entered the room quietly, standing at the foot of her bed. Quinn didn't move a muscle, her slow, deep breathing continued on.

Why did I save her? Talon asked himself, sitting down in the empty seat beside her. Quinn rolled to the side, facing the assassin. The blankets covering her upper body rolled off, causing her face to contort slightly, her body shaking. Talon stood up from the chair, taking ahold of the rim of the covers he pulled them over Quinn's shoulders. Re-taking his place in the seat, he could feel his eyes drooping closed.

The slow _click, click, click_ of the ceiling fan as it slowly turned lulling him asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Oddly enough I managed to write a chapter, sometimes I feel motivated to write, other times I don't. It's been way too long since I updated anything, not entirely sure if I'll have the time or energy to continue but I had fun writing this again so I might give it a shot. On a side note, only one term of school left and I'm home free! I may write a chapter for Lunar Lights after this._

* * *

Quinn slowly opened her eyes, gazing up into the darkness. The hospital room was pitch black, all the lights were off. She could hear someone breathing beside her, the deep, laborious breaths indicating they were asleep. Slowly moving the covers to the side she went over to the window, a heavy wall of snow seemed to have blocked off the view of the outside world. Turning around she flicked one of the switch on the wall, a lamp dimly illuminated the room, revealing a middle aged male resting in the chair beside her bed. Quinn inched closer, bending down to peer at the man's face, her hand shot over her mouth as she realised it was Talon.

What is he doing here? she thought, unable to stop herself from nearing him. Her heart beat a little quicker as she inspected the assassin in detail. His rough face, the scars and marks of past fights, his chin, barely shaven as rubble shot out.

"Do you mind?" asked Talon, his sharp eyes piercing hers.

"I- Uh" Quinn stammered, taking a few steps back and almost tripping over the IV drip. Talon looked around the room, ignoring the flustered scout.

"Damn" Quinn heard him mutter before he stood up slowly from the chair, cracking his neck from left to right and unfurling his fist repetitively. Quinn moved out of the way as he strode past her, opening the door and looking down the hall both ways.

"Are you looking for something?" Quinn asked, leaning against the medical bench. Talon merely glanced in her direction, too busy peering out the door to pay attention. As Quinn made to ask another question he dashed out of the doorway, leaving her alone in the room. Only a few seconds later Akali walked in, unaware of the awoken scout as her eyes scanned a pile of paper vigorously.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed, finally noticing that Quinn was not in bed.

Quinn nodded, taking a seat as Akali gestured to the empty bed. Akali's nostrils flared up, her eyebrows furrowing at a familiar smell when she sat down on the vacant chair.

"How are you feeling?" Akali asked, taking the stethoscope from around her neck and pulling it up to her ear, Quinn pulled up her gown to allow the metal object to be pressed against her chest

"Fine"

Seemingly satisfied, Akali withdrew, allowing Quinn to lower her gown.

"How long have I been here for?" Quinn asked, squinting at the clock on the wall.

"About 4 days"

Four days? Quinn mouthed, gripping the edges of the bed.

Akali nodded, ruffling her head.

"Did you happen to see, uh, anyone on your way here?" Quinn said, her eyes flickering over to the door.

Akali raised an eyebrow, peeking outside the door and into the dimly lit hallway.

"No" she said, the corners of her lips turning upwards slightly. She watched as Quinn fumbled nervously with the edges of her blanket, the windows facing outside had fogged up from the stark contrast between winter and the warm hospital room.

A loud squawk down the hallway caught the duo's attention, Quinn gasped, having completely forgotten about Valor. Akali pushed Quinn back down onto the bed when she tried to get up.

"I'll go" she said, slipping out the door and leaving Quinn alone in the room.

The heater rumbled softly, warm air expelling out into the room, Quinn pushed the blankets off of her, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed forcing herself to stand up, she hobbled over to the folded clothes beside her. She got dressed with great difficulty, choosing to attach the hand-crossbow to her hip instead of on her wrist.

As Quinn closed the door behind her, the lights in the hallway flickered off, expelling the way she needed to go into darkness.

"Just my luck" she mumbled to herself, feeling her away down the hallway and towards Valor.

Quinn pushed the gurney out of her way, her hand brushing briefly against a metal door handle. Retracing her steps she gripped the handle, pushing it down and pressing the door forward. A cold burst of air flooded past, the hair on her arms and head standing up straight.

"Quinn!" Akali exclaimed, struggling to contain the giant eagle that was attached to the hospitals power-board and investigating the cords. Upon hearing her name, Valor turned its head abruptly, squawking happily and recklessly nose dived towards her. Quinn started to fall back as Valor narrowly avoided collided with her, accidentally causing her to stumble backwards out of the room. She landed on something soft, rubbing her forehead as Valor landed on the floor in front of her, cocking his head.

She looked upwards to see Talon's face looming above her, unimpressed at being used as a cushion. Quinn's face quickly turned red as she pushed herself off of the brooding assassin, scrambling across the floor until her back rested against the door frame. Valor trod along the floor after her, nestling its head into the crook of her arm. She smiled at him, running her hand down the length of his neck. Quinn, oblivious to the ongoing tension between Talon and Akali, continued to smooth down Valors ruffled feathers.

"Hello Talon" she said through gritted teeth, Talon smirked back at her, pushing himself off of the ground and offering a hand to the scout. Quinn took it tentatively, feeling herself being pulled up abruptly.

"Thanks" she mumbled, looping a strand of hair behind her ear. Talon turned to Akali, offering his hand. She unwillingly shook it, keeping her grip on the assassin. Quinn yelped as Akali flipped him over her shoulder, his boots thudding onto the ground. The two let go, facing back to back.

"You never called" Akali spat, venom in her voice. Talon only chuckled, lingering in the doorway to wink at Quinn before disappearing.

"What… you?" Quinn sputtered, looking over at Akali who shrugged in return.

"We went out for a while"

Quinn looked at Akali bewilderedly, drawing a laugh from the ninja. She placed her hand on the scout's shoulder.

"Careful not to get too invested" she said, following in Talon's footsteps and slipping into the hallway.

* * *

Talons boots crunched lightly over the top of the thick snow layer, making his way towards the desolate entrance. A single guard sat hunched over in the gatehouse, flipping through the pages of a book halfheartedly. He noticed the approaching assassin, pulling the large lever on the wall to open the gates enough for Talon to slip through. Talon nodded at him as he passed, shielding his eyes from the reflecting light. He felt the magical presence fade away upon leaving the institute of war, replaced by the bitter air. Talon didn't care for the cold weather, used to horrible conditions as a child he simply trudged along, making his way to the equally as empty train station.

A small device attached to a pole displayed the train times, Talon peered down to find a proper time. The nearest train was an hour away. With nothing better to do, Talon took a seat on the frozen bench and waited. The time went by slowly, a weather warning had played over the speakers, a snowstorm wasn't far off. Talon heard somebody else approach the station, the light snow crushed under small feet. Quinn's slim frame came into view, her body covered in the skintight outfit and small vest. She was shivering rapidly, holding her arms close to try and ward off the cold. A loud alert interrupted his thoughts as the train was fast approaching. Talon stood up from the bench, alarming the frozen scout.

"T-t-talon" she mumbled, giving him a quick wave before wrapping her arm around her again. The large train came to a rumbling halt in front of them, warm steam expelling out into the cold air. The doors opened and to the duo's surprise, a single summoner emerged from within and smiled at the two. The summoner quickly greeted Talon before bursting into a run towards the institute, ignoring Quinn completely. Talon scowled, glancing over to the quivering woman before him. He took off his top layer with a sigh, throwing the heavy garment to the scout leaving him with just a shirt. It landed on Quinn's head, falling into her hands. She looked over at Talon questioningly but he had already boarded the train.

The speakers crackled to life, departing in five minutes.

Quinn tried to peek in through the window, but a thick layer of fog covered the glass panes. She has no other choice but to just put on the coat in hopes to avoid freezing or contracting hypothermia. The fabric had an odd scent, something she hadn't expected Talon to wear, it seemed to be some type of cologne. She wrapped the thick material around her shoulders, sliding her arms into the long sleeves that drooped over the end of her hands. She was practically swimming inside of it, but at least it was warm. The chimney on the top of the train shot to life, pillows of steam erupting from the metal tube. She watched as the train began its way towards to Noxus, leaving behind a trail of smoke as it went. Quinn pulled the coat tighter around her, wary of the fact that she was now alone again.

A sudden thought had struck her, why had Talon even been at the institute, she remembered him asleep on her bed but she hadn't gotten to ask. She could remember inklings of what had happened four days ago, she remembered falling off the balcony and into the water, and watching two people fighting on the beach before she blacked out again. The fighting style was briefly familiar, Garen had been one of the contenders, yelling Noxian scum at the other person, she hadn't been able to make out his shape. Standing alone as the bitter winter winds blew through the desolate train station Quinn made the connection. The man at the party, the dancing, falling into the sea and waking up on the beach. It had been Talon. Her cheeks flushed red, remembering her clumsy dancing skills and smirking slightly at the fancy footwork Talon had displayed. She imagined Talon learning to dance, the thought was foreign to her. Perhaps I should learn to dance? She thought to herself. She shook her head, clearing the thoughts from her mind as the last train of the day rumbled into the station.

"Quinn?" somebody asked as they departed the train, laying a hand on the scout's shoulder.

"Lux?" Quinn asked, pulling the hood back to let her see more clearly, a rough scowl was enough to answer that question.

"Do I look blonde to you?" Shyvana asked, standing unimpressed with a hand on her hip.

"Sorry" Quinn said, fumbling with the buttons on the coat, Shyvana sighed exaggeratedly, pushing Quinn's hands to the side and doing up the buttons for her. Her nose twitched, her eyebrow raising as she brought Quinn's coat sleeve up to her nose.

"And to whom might this belong to?" Shyvana asked, jabbing a finger into the flustered scout. Quinn pulled back, looking away.

"It's ok" Shyvana said, giving her a wink before she trudged off towards the institute, her metal armour clinking around her. The train doors nearly closed before Quinn slipped inside, sitting down on the empty bench. Nobody else was in the carriage, or any of the carriages for that matter. Her eyes slipped closed slowly, listening to the rumbling of the train along the tracks as she sped towards home.

* * *

"I'm worried about her" Shyvana whispered, flipping through the various notes on Jarvan's desk. Jarvan looked up at the notes in her hand, grumbling as she handed them to him.

"She'll be fine" he muttered, turning the pages over and throwing them into the furnace.

"But I smelt him" said Shyvana, knelt down in front of the metal cask as she blew more fire into the inferno inside. Smoke shot out the top and the room rose in temperature. Jarvan grunted in response, pulling the sweater off and stretching his arms out wide. Shyvana took the opportunity to slip her hands under his arms and pull up behind him.

"Oi" he muttered, turning his head to look into the mischievous half-dragons eyes.

"I'm going to miss this place" she said, resting her head against his back. Jarvan smiled, picking up one of the loose leaflets of paper and reading through the old news article. The coffee stained paper depicted Shyvana's entrance into the institute. He could hear her giggling behind him as she snatched it from his hands, pulling the paper to her chest and hugging it tight.

"I'll be keeping that" she said, winking at Jarvan before storing it in a small bag on the floor. The windows rattled under the strong winds and the light in the room went out. Jarvan turned to Shyvana who shrugged in return, opening the top of the furnace to let light out.

"You really should do something about Quinn though" she said, slinging the bag over her back.

Jarvan shrugged, planting his lips on her cheek as she slid past, waving back to him before quickly sliding out the door. The prince of Demacia sat back in his chair, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. Only a few more documents lay strewn across the table, the last traces of Demacia left in the institute of war. Jarvan lazily swiped a slip of paper off the desk, scanning the document for any useful information.

"Of course" he muttered, realizing it belonged to Quinn.

* * *

Shyvana walked through the empty halls, running her hand along the icy walls. Before the announcements there had been many champions living here. She missed talking with Lucian in the bar, practicing with Pantheon in the fighting arena and reading with Nasus in the grand library. She noticed a summoner shoveling snow away from the magistrates room.

"I guess it isn't completely empty" she whispered to herself, tracing a cut in the stone she'd made a year ago. The winds picked up again, blowing a fresh load of snow across the hallway. Shyvana continued onward, making her way into the old Demacian dorm rooms.


	5. Chapter 5

Shyvana walked through the old Demacian dorm, once warm and filled with champions staying at the Institute, it was now cold and empty. She came across her own dorm room, the old wooden door barely attached to its hinges. Somehow it had managed to sustain her temper, all the days of slamming it shut had passed.

Shyvana found herself continuing past the other rooms, her cheeks flushed red as she ran her hand past Jarvan's door, she had made many memories inside it. Eventually she found herself outside the last room in the dormitory, seemingly secluded from the rest she had forgotten whom it belonged to. Tentatively pushing open the door she was hit by a musty smell, the room had been empty for a month or two now and the dust had piled up high. Struggling to hold in her sneeze Shyvana searched the room for a trace of it's previous owner. A few claw marks had dug into the wardrobe.

_Valor._ Shyvana thought, realizing that it was Quinn's room she was standing in. The room was smaller than her own, only barely able to contain the bed, wardrobe and small desk with little room to spare. Shyvana sat on the edge of the mattress, unsettling the dust that had lay dormant on top. She laid back, her head lightly hitting the back of the wall and dislodging one of the bricks. Reaching back to grip the wall but finding only air, she turned her head up, looking upside down at the hole where the wall should have been. Shyvana sat up abruptly, slowly reaching her hand inside to investigate the secret compartment. She gripped a few cluttered papers, holding them up to a flame in her other hand to see what was written on them.

* * *

_July 14th_

_Val and I went down to the festival at the IOW today, the food was amazing! You should've seen it Caleb, there was food from Demacia, Noxus, Freljord, Piltover, Zaun and even the Shadow Isles (though no one dared to touch it)! Val managed to steal a few of Caitlyn's cupcakes and we had to run from Vi, apparently they had been saved for her. Boy was she pissed off!_

_I'll have to take you there sometime, you'd like it. I saw a few of those chocolate scones you used to love, I bought some for us!_

_Anyways, I need to get some sleep now, Val is yelling at me to turn the light off, see you tomorrow Bro!_

_Love, Quinn._

* * *

Shyvana lowered the piece of paper, looking around the bed at the other scraps. _She has a brother?_ Shyvana grumbled, angry that Quinn hadn't introduced him to any of the other Demacians before. She picked up another document.

* * *

_September 23rd_

_Clear skies and sunny today_

_I met a young lady for the first time, she was unlike anything I've ever seen. Long, blonde hair, bubbly attitude and the widest smile I'd ever seen. Her name was Lady Luxanna, I hear from my commander who also happens to be her brother, Garen, that I might be able to work for her some day. I didn't realize she was in the army!_

_Enough about myself, how have you been Caleb? I'm sorry I haven't been able to come back and visit you these days, I've just been so busy! I've managed to save up a bit of money now so I think I'll come home for a few days and just relax._

_Oh! I'll make sure that Valor comes to say hi as well, you two are almost the same!_

_Hope to see you soon bro, I should be home as soon as this tour's ended._

_See you soon!_

_Love, Quinn._

* * *

Shyvana briefly skimmed through a few of the other letters, many of them around the month of September. She came across a date that interested her, surprised to see quite an accurate sketch of herself staring back. _Quinn drew… me?_ Attached to the sketch was another diary entry, this one describing Quinn's feelings and thoughts about Shyvana.

_Shyvana_

_Half woman, half dragon._

_She has long fiery red locks of hair and the temper to match,_

_Note: Do not anger._

_Major crush on Jarvan_

Shyvana dropped the paper, puffing out a breath of air and rolling her eyes.

She dug her hand back into the hole, rummaging around and picking out papers on the other Demacian champions, _Lux, Fiora, Garen_ among others. There was one final piece of paper that Quinn found odd, it was crumpled and had been scribbled all over. The name on the top of it however, was easily distinguishable. _Talon._

_Noxian Assassin, highly dangerous __avoid at all costs__._

_Tends to avoid large groups of people and sticks to the shadows, __seems to have a complete lack of empathy _

Shyvana couldn't decipher the rest of the paper, instead turning it over and finding a beautiful sketch of Talon, the details were immense, evidence of Quinn's seemingly obsessive nature. The next few pages were the same, sketches of Talon, descriptions of Talon and places he liked to go or people he met with regularly. She had practically become a stalker.

The last page was another letter to her brother Caleb.

* * *

_Caleb,_

_I hope you're doing well, I just got out of hospital myself (I'm fine I assure you), I think I might come home for a bit, things aren't going too well. The Institute of War has closed and with it many of my friends have parted ways, the days of peace are coming to a close and I fear a war with Noxus will break out. _

_Alas, I don't think I'll see him again. Perhaps it's better this way, nothing good could have come from it anyways. I'll still miss him, whether he'll miss or even acknowledge my disappearance is another question. I admire his lack of empathy, it's strangely… calming._

_I think I could strive to become more like him, maybe then it won't hurt anymore._

_I'll be home tomorrow._

_Quinn._

* * *

Shyvana skipped back to the top of the page, realizing the entry was dated today. _Had she written it before leaving earlier today? _Shyvana hurriedly gathered the letters up for Quinn, checking the address on them before closing the room behind her. The snow melted off the beams behind her as she transformed, thundering down the roofless halls until she took off into the air.

* * *

Talon wandered through the crowded streets on his way back to the Du Couteau Mansion. The moon was hidden behind a thick smog, covering Noxus in a shade of darkness. Dimly lit streetlamps led the way, creating circles of light along the disheveled road. Talon leapt up onto the railing that surrounded the Du Couteau property, walking along it in the dark. There was no more need for Talon to continue his nightly patrols, although the General had gone missing and left his daughters behind, the compound was guarded by those still loyal to the General. Not that the sisters couldn't protect themselves. Katarina and Cassiopeia were far from useless, both more dangerous than those guarding the compound. Still, the night patrols helped to soothe Talon's restlessness, he could make out the moon through the pollution, occasionally a star or two would appear.

"You can come out you know" Talon called out, taking a seat and swinging his feet over the railing. The light mage made herself known, hands on her hip and pouting at Talon.

"You could help me up" she said, gesturing to herself. Talon grumbled, pulling the small woman up onto the fence. Lux smiled sweetly at him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're drunk" Talon muttered, his nose twitching at the thick stench of alcohol emanating from her.

"Damn right I am" she said, followed by a series of hiccups, she took a cigarette out of her packet, placing the paper roll between her lips and rolling her head towards Talon. He fished out a lighter, lighting Luxs smoke.

"Much better" she said, letting out a puff of smoke.

"You want one?" she asked, sliding one out of the packet towards Talon.

"There's enough things trying to kill me as is" he replied, pushing the cigarette packet back to her. Lux giggled, dangling her pale legs over the railing. They sat together in silence, looking out over the still vibrant town. Despite being past midnight Noxus was still awake, the nightlife had come and the city looked alive.

"I'm going to miss this place" Lux whispered, forgetting about the assassin still seated beside her. Talon peered over at her, surprised to see tears cascading down her face. He put an arm lightly around her shoulder, pulling her head into his chest. She began to cry quietly, the tears soaking into Talon's shirt. He wrapped the bladed cloak around her, making sure to keep the knives at a distance.

"I hate Demacia. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it" she whimpered, her voice muffled by Talon's clothing.

Talon didn't reply, instead soothing back the trembling mage's blonde hair and rubbing her shoulder. His face remained impartial, still looking up to the sky.

"Father doesn't let me go out anymore, now that the Institutes closed I have no more reason to be out and about unless I'm on a mission" she said to Talon, gripping the hem of his shirt tightly. He continued to stay silent, listening on as Lux laid her emotions bare before him. It wasn't the first time she'd broken down, whenever she got drunk she became emotional and distraught. He almost felt that Katarina got her drunk on purpose, besides trying to get into her pants she might have thought it fun to torment the poor girl.

When she stopped trembling he rested his hand behind her, patting her on the back gently.

"You're a good guy, you know that Talon?" she whispered to him, her head still pressed against his chest.

Talon snorted, extending the arm blade out of its holder on his free hand out and holding it up to the dim light.

"Not many would say such a thing" he replied. Lux let go of his clothing, raising her head up and staring him in the eyes.

"I think, if I wasn't Demacian and a few years older, I would take you for myself" she confided in him, pressing her lips to his cheek before disappearing.

Talon sat there alone again on the railing, the faint smell of beer dissipating into the cold winter air.

* * *

The snow had stopped falling by the time Quinn got off the train, stepping out onto the lightly covered platform, snow crunching under her feet. She made her way out of the station, having finally arrived back in Demacia she decided to check in with Lux. She heard a squawk, it appeared Valor had woken up from his nap. Opening up the cage in her hand the Demacian Eagle shot out, soaring into the sky above the city.

Quinn ascended the steps into the academy, greeting the young trainee's that marched beside her, they sent her off with a salute as she approached Lux's office.

Quinn, much to her dismay, found Lux sprawled out on the floor, empty bottles of beer littered the floor and an ashtray filled with cigarettes sat beside her.

"Lux!" she cried out, shaking the unconscious mess. Lux remained still, snoring loudly. Quinn sighed to herself, grabbing a few of the empty beer bottles and poking her head out into the hallway to make sure there was no one around. She spotted Jarvan walking down the hallway towards his office.

"Jarvan!" she hissed, making sure no one else heard. The prince turned around, raising his eyebrow at Quinn. She opened the door slightly, gesturing at the passed out mage on the floor. He looked over at his office, sighed, and turned around to help Quinn.

"Again?" he asked, peering inside at the beer bottles laid out.

"Yeah. Can you go grab me a trash bag?" Quinn asked, closing the door as an army personnel walked by.

"Try and wake her up" he muttered, dashing over to his office. Quinn knelt down beside Lux, pushing the blonde hairs away from her face and lifting her head into her lap. The light mage was still soundly asleep, a small line of drool sliding down her chin. Quinn wiped it away and starting lightly tapping on her forehead.

Eventually she started to stir, staring up at the scout with lidded eyes.

"Hey Quinn" she croaked, snuggling into her lap.

"It's time to get up Lux" she urged her, looking up as Jarvan entered the room. Quinn gestured at Lux, Jarvan nodded in understanding. He slid his arms underneath her body, lifting Lux into his arms princess style.

Quinn closed the door behind them, grabbing the trash bag and stuffing as many bottles and cigarettes in as she could. Several minutes later Quinn had managed to clear the office of all offending items, returning it to its original state. Jarvan came back in to check on Quinn.

"It should be fine, just need to air it out" Jarvan said, opening the back window to let the fresh air in. Quinn knew she might have to take the blame again, it seemed to be a reoccurring thing.

Jarvan returned to his office, leaving Quinn to go check on Lux. She found her tangled up in the bedsheets moaning at her apparent hangover. Quinn ducked into her bathroom, grabbing a few of the headache tablets from top shelf and placing them on the bedside table alongside a glass of water. Valor had apparently awoke from his slumber as well as he hopped from his perch onto Quinn's shoulder.

"Think you can watch over her while I pop out for a bit?" she asked, Valor squawked back, landing on the bed and nuzzling his head against Lux. Quinn could hear her giggling under the covers.

With Lux safely stored away she grabbed a pad of paper and wrote up a quick note, leaving it on Lux's desk for when she woke up. She returned to find Lux sitting up in bed and petting Valor.

"Did you go to Noxus?" Quinn asked, Lux shifted uncomfortably in the bed but nodded nonetheless.

Quinn could only sigh, helping her take the headache medication.

"I'll be away from a few days" she called out whilst grabbing a few things out of her wardrobe. Lux seemed to have returned to her previous state of unconsciousness and didn't respond.

"Let's go Val" she called to the eagle, Valor hopped up onto Quinn's shoulder and the duo set out back home.


End file.
